Tongue in Chic

I’m a jeans-and-t-shirt kinda guy. Sneakers or shiny shoes depend on where I’m eating dinner or having drinks. Now that I have a new job*, though, I’m having an existential fashion crisis.

WTF am I supposed to wear to work?

In my previous gig, I was boss-man, and my employees dressed as casually as I. When I needed to look sharp-ish, I’d throw on a blazer and be ready to rock a client meeting. These days, however, I have boss-men rungs above me on the corporate ladder. Not that they’re fashionistos or anything like that (they’re not), but they do expect me to comport myself with a modicum of dignity.

So, no blue jeans or Converse kicks - not even on casual Fridays - I get that. No big. But what kind of pants am I supposed to wear, then?

On my first few days at the new office, I wore a suit. By the end of that first week, I was leaving my tie at home and my jacket in the car. To bring a level of snazz to my game for Week Two, I scored new slacks and grown-up shoes.

On Day Three of Week Two, I caught a glimpse of my new get-up in a window between the parking structure and the skyscraper I now call my second home. Who was that schmuck looking back at me?

And what are slacks, exactly? Am I slacker now? The saleswoman at Nordstrom told me I had selected a nice “pant.” Does that mean I’m not the one wearing the pants any more?

They say clothes make the man, and I’m the same guy I used to be, so wearing new shiz wasn’t adding up. My solution: new jeans and new t-shirts. Boss-men haven’t said anything yet, so I may be in the clear. Or maybe they’ve put a note in my employee file: Shows promise. Gets along well with others. Not dressing to company standards.

At least I don’t wear my Cheech & Chong t-shirt to the office during the week. I’m saving that for casual Fridays.

I hope you enjoy this Fall Fashion issue of PacificSD, which features clothing selected by people other than me.

Sincerely,

David Perloff, Editor-in-Chief

*Actually, I have the same job, but now I do it for someone else. In case you haven’t picked up a copy of PacificSD in a while (which is unlikely, I know), The San Diego Union-Tribune acquired the magazine a couple months ago.